that Reader Girl
by Obsidian Thunder
Summary: Written during freeglader contains loads of spoilers. Xanth meets that strange Reader from under town who is she? why does she stand to fightbeside her when no one else will?
1. nothin like first impressions aargh

That reader girl

Xanth was walking around the gardens of light moodily. Everywhere he went people would stop and glare. The faint chatter of a librarian class drifted passed him. An expression of annoyance flashed onto his features. He ignored any one who walked passed because they normally just stared.

"Aargh. Oh piss.'' Xanth spun around to see someone lying face down in a patch of fungus.

"er a little help please?" said a voice from the fungus bed. Xanth hurried over.

''Are you all right?" he asked ass he picked her up. Pink fungus was smeared all over her cloths.

"Err …yup I think so" she patted her head as if looking for something " em actually I think I had better get medical help" as she pulled her fingers out of her hair, dripping blood "that's why my head hurts" a thinking expression appeared on her face as if she had found the answer to a complicated question, before she sank into unconsciousness.

Just a small starting chapter

Please review!

(I bet you see that all the time)


	2. hello?

I have just realized that I have done no disclaimers so I don't own any of the edge (if I did it would be the deepwoods but (sigh) I don't) I do own reader she is mine (all mine!) so I would be most obliged if the great gods of writing do not sue me

R.J.W

"How is she?" Xanth peered round the door in to the small room where the girl was. His friend Tweezel was attending to her.

"She is doing well, it was a clean cut at least. There has been no sign of fever but she has been out for so long it is hard to tell if she has any more damage.'' Xanth nodded. When he was hauling the unconscious girl to Tweezels abode she had not stirred once. The wound seemed to be made by a rock but they weren't that sure.

"Shall I make some tea?" the old spindle bug asked "you look a bit on the down side I have a new mixture that I would like you to try?'' he looked at Xanth expectantly

"Thank you Tweezle that would be great." He said sitting down. When Tweezel was gone he looked at the Girl properly for the first kind. She had rough brown hair that looked like it had been cut with a knife with no mirror. And was tall yet stocky. Xanth smiled, he already knew that she was rather heavy. His shoulders still ached from carrying her. She wore a leather jerkin that was well wore to the point that it had patches on the patches, a pair of rough canvas trousers and a belt festooned with things of the practical persuasion on the left was a wicked looking knife the length of his forearm. Her face was striking even knocked out she looked like someone who had seen too much. On her right cheek she had a thin scar that ran the length of her cheekbone. Her skin was a sallowish pale that was slightly pock marked and her bottom lip was slightly fuller than the top.

"I don't even know your name" he mused as he brushed a tendril of hair off her face. " You don't even know mine" his face went dark as a small voice said "of course not do you honestly think that she would have asked for your help had she known that you were once a guardian?"

"Hello?" a small voice asked he looked down in to a pair of eyes as grey as smoke flecked with marble white there deep black pupils filled with unending intelligence.

"Ah.. Err… hello um I see that your awake" staring into those soft grey eyes took all his words away. The girl smiled, it was a smile laced with irony

"Yes it seems I am" a pale hand rose up and patted the large white bandage round her head with a puzzled look "em where am I?"

"When you fell you took a head wound, so I brought here Tweezle is a good healer. Errm i'm Xanth by the way" he said his name fast in the vain hope that she might not reconise it.

"Xanth Filitine?" he nodded silently

"Here it comes" he thourght "the glares and the hate"

"I thought that you would be taller. And from what I have heard I half expected you to have glaring red eyes and horns. But oh well" she sighed, "Nothing is ever what you imagined" she smiled at hit confused look "where you expecting a barrage of hate and insults? No I have nothing to hold against you" she shuffled into a sitting position "i'm Reader by the way" she said holding out a scarred hand to shake "I would tell you my last name but I don't have one"

"It's good to meet you Reader," he said smiling as he shook her hand just as Tweezel walked in holding a tray.

"Ah I see you are up. I'll go fetch you some tea my dear"


	3. a freindship secured

"So how did you get the one on your, neck?" he asked pointing.

"Oh that was when I was at the palace of statues some evil person of the league of butchers dropped his cleaver when I was scaling the wall" Reader and Xanth had been firm friends since she woke up. Although she couldn't understand why he was interested by her large collection of scars that she had collected over the years of her life as an undertown orphan. She didn't know it was because he was worried that he may have been the cause off some.

She had started out in life as an orphan in one of the many poverty-stricken areas of the city and her parents had either died or could not afford her. Her name which many people (i.e. everyone she told it to) were curious about was given to her by her fellow orphans when one of the older girls said that she was tired of being a number (the gabtrolls that ran the place did not have time to give them all names so they were numbered) and that she, from now on was to be called Seltricia Dikirk. The others had taken to the idea like marsh ducks to water; soon every body had a name. Everybody except 34.

"Ah number 34. Those were the days." She sighed as she recounted the story to Xanth. "I did not care for names much then, anyway most of the names they chose were ludicrous, I mean Seltricia! It sounds like a disease"

"I like most orphans at an early age are taught to read in the vain hope that we might get some wealth from it. Once they had opened the door to learning I always carried a book with me in case I got a chance to read it. Quickly I finished the meagre collection that the orphanage had. It was than that I begun searching for them, I knew I had no chance of buying books so I instead turned to screetown" she was not a vain girl was Reader but she did like the gasp she heard whenever she said this "there were thousands of books out there hidden in the old forgotten houses all I had to do is find them."

"I had been finding books and taking them home for a year before the whole name thing happened, people started to suggest what I should call myself. Some of those names where awful! I mean do you honestly think that Sirhc would suit me? But any way, one girl who was the smallest and had named herself Trants because she liked it suggested that I should be called Reader because that was all I did, I agreed. I was a good name and so Reader I became. Although I never got a last name."

She and Xanth swapped stories while wandering around the gardens of light. Xanth discovered that because of this there were rumours that he was conspiracing with a fellow guardian. Ha! He thought they should hear the way she talks about them.

Xanth had known that his Reckoning was coming and that he had few chances of staying in the free glades, but here there was the thinnest sliver of hope, he knew that Reader had seen the guilt racked person he had become. So sorry for the things he had done rather than seeing the guardian he once was.

"You will come to the reckoning right? I need someone who doesn't want me dead" to his surprise when he said that she had laughed replying

"Rampaging glaomglozers couldn't stop me from coming" that was then.

The Reckoning had arrived.


	4. The RECKONING

Reader wandered through the manicured gardens of the waif glen her thoughts where filled with worry for Xanth and the nagging felling that had been with her since she arrived in the free glades. It was boredom. Never before had she felt so safe, so secure, so _bored_. Oh safety is all well and good for a time and you wish that you had it whenever you where in danger but, well, right now what Reader felt would really calm her nerves for Xanth was a fight with muglump followed by the retrieving of a good book.

And Xanth! Oh Xanth! Ever since she met him her ways had changed so much! For one she had stayed. She had told herself that she would go to the free glades to recover than out in to the deepwoods to collect stories. But whenever she through of leaving the image of those large pleading eyes so guilt ridden and sorrow filled would arise from the place in her thoughts that she kept locked. Even when she threw away the key.

Deep in thoughts she had unnoticed to her walked into a shady alcove free of other people. A wide spring ran along its outside the water pooling at the roots of a small glade willow. All confused thoughts seemed to die down as she walked slowly towards it, they didn't go away, just quieted down. Brushing the leafy fronds of the glade willow aside she stepped in to the pool as is if in a trance uncaring for her cloths or wet feet. Lying down on the bottom of the pool with only her nose above water, the gentle current of the stream lulling her thoughts making her hair billow and stream.

Cancaresse walked from person to person gently reading their thoughts seeking those whose emotions ran deepest.

_Xanth!, Xanth Filitine_! Echoed around her head as she weighed the good and the bad accounts people gave. And so many people! A young knight, an under librarian, an academic, a ghost and more. She was done so she thought with the others minds it was time for those of Xanth himself. As she walked to the large glade willow in the center of the gardens she past a stream catching the faintest trace of a thought

"…_orry. He rescued her I saw him but he doesn't know_…." It was very faint. But she was sure who it was about turning she walked up stream.

Reader was felt so relaxed as she lay there in the pool. It was so quiet and calming that she did not notice anyone come into the space under the glade willow till a thourght entered her mind

" _Tell me who he rescued"_

"_I don't know. She was female but I was to far away to see who she was tall. A librarian knight. She an him where lowered to rock demons ravine. But he helped her to get away into the tunnels I know no more at that point I had to run for myself. Xanth is good! I know his story he…" _she paused Cancaresse knew that she was going to get told something personal and was the only one who will ever get told it. _"..He helped_ me. _In the gardens of light not only when I fell did he pick me up. Thanks to him I have friendship here. Something I have never had before. If it wasn't for Xanth I would be wandering the deepwoods_" the image of his dark pleading eyes yet again rose unbidden to Readers mind bringing unwanted feelings with it. Reader did not know that Cancaresse felt those feelings as she as well as she saw the picture

"_I must speak with Xanth"_ was all that she said although her mind was racing.

After a while Reader left the pool and she to walked, squelching, to where she knew Xanth would be she saw him in the on his knees with his face buried in his hands in the middle of the sunlit sobbing as Cancaresse stood by. The time of the reckoning had come but reader did not hear the words that Cancaresse said, her heart full of anguish for the stricken figure of Xanth. She did though catch the end of what the waif said though

" _I'm afraid, Xanth that …''_

_No! No_! Her mind _''not Xanth he does not deserve this!"_

"Stop wait!" a cry went up Reader looked up, a disheveled figure limped through the crowd, shouts and murmurings followed her. Reader saw her kneel before Cancaresse but the thoughts she said where lost to her in the pain that clenched her heart. Xanth would be banished or killed and she would leave for good..

"Welcome Xanth Filitine, welcome to the freeglades!" Reader heard these words, spoken aloud and her heart soared she shouted for joy much to the surprise of those next to her as a dripping teenager elbowed her way past them before she threw her self at Xanth hugging him fiercely

"oof! Sky on earth Reader!" he croaked his voice harsh from crying, "Why are you so wet?"

"It doesn't matter Xanth. What matters is that you are safe!" she grinned not noticing that tears streamed down her face. She hugged him again.

"Um Reader this is Magda Burlix. Magda this is Reader" he smiled wanly at them the sadness behind his eye was still there.

"Hello," the disheveled knight held out a grubby hand Reader shook it

"You were the one that Xanth saved. I saw it" she was slightly over awed by Magda, and was suddenly very aware that she was very wet and had pondweed in her hair.

"Yes Xanth saved me I am grateful and happy and so, so tired " she smiled weakly Reader realized that she would have to take controll here.

"Xanth do want to get your things from the Gardens? Or would you like me to?" he mumbled that he would later but he wanted to talk to Magda

"Xanth, Magda needs to get rest and go to a healer. You need to get your things moved in to lake landing." She shepherded them out of the thorny gates. They were both glassy eyed with shock. Meeting Tweezel out side the gardens of light she handed Xanth over to him knowing that he'd know best. She gently but firmly led Magda out towards new under town to the house where she was boarding. When she was there she told Magda to lie down while she got her healing box. She had lived most of her life in scree town. She could heal and bind any wound, the second rule of book retrieval was always known where the nearest healing box was. She had had about ten dotted about Screetown. But she now had one of the best ever well stocked with fresh things. It was large to say the least. She gently bathed and bound Magdas wounds. Strapping her broken leg to a proper splint instead of a branch. This did cause a few screams but Magda was strong.

Reader sighed; she had seen the look in Xanths eyes whenever he looked at Magda. She had already been in the freeglades to long.

"Magda ?"

""Hmmm?"

"How would I go about getting a skycraft?"

Disclaimer- I-am-not-chris-riddel-and-i-don't-own-any-characters-Reader-_is_-mine-thhough-thankyou-for-reading-please-review.


	5. A Distant Drunken Friendship

Xanth walked to the far corner of the workshop where a dark form was bent over a large piece of wood.

"Hey" he said making her jump "that's really coming along" The Dark figure straitened up revealing her self to be Reader. Red faced with her hair scraped back.

"Hey Xanth what do you think?" the sumpwood log that was in the clamp was over twice the size of the one used by the librarian knight apprentices last week she had sweet talked the wood trolls to let her have the one that was twice the size. It was really meant for sale but after promising half her savings they had relented.

The prow was beginning to take shape with a large pointed snout with pointed teeth along it.

" A snicket. Why that?"

"That's rich coming from the maker of the _Ratbird_. I did this because I wanted to" Xanth smiled, it seemed that that was the reason why Reader did most things, because she wanted to.

"Why is it so big? I'd have thought that the librarians would have made them as big as possible." Reader bent down to continue chiseling so her words came muffled.

"It's an experiment. Anyway the 'crafts are designed for one on a mission looking for whatever they need to write a treatise. This hunk of wood is designed by me. For me. Because I want a big one."

"Hey me, Mag and Rook are going to the bloodoak to night are you joining us?" Reader and Magda got along well, she didn't begrudge the fact that Xanth was obviously besotted by her. It wasn't Magdas fault.

"Yeah sure, I'll be free after sunset" still absorbed by the task of getting some more detail on the left eye.

"You work from sunup to sundown on this thing. It'll kill you."

"No it wont what'll kill me s if I make it badly or rush it. So I do as much as feasibly possible while still doing it well. I would work through the night if they let torched in this place. Hard work never hurt anyone" when ever people commented on how she worked to hard she got snappy.

"All right. All right no need to bite. Taking a break from time to time does no harm either"

"I'll see you at sunset" she said in her special end-of-conversation voice. Only looking up when she saw that Xanth was far away, when she did her eyes where bright with tears.

"Ahh, yes I think you have it young mistress, and only on the thirty seventh attempt. This is marvelous. See that woodhoney shade and the right viscousness. Ahh Xanth does this take you back to when you were an apprentice?" Tweezel stirred the pot of varnish on the brazier. As a favor from Xanth he had persuaded the old spindle bug to teach Reader how to make the varnish on hr own instead of in a class of five or six apprentices. He was sat on a stool tucked away in a corner, making the odd comment here, roaring with laughter when she was splatted across a wall when she milked a slime mole from the wrong end (an act done only once)

"Yes but it took me fifty tries before I got it right."

"Never! You told me you had it done on the sixteenth! Liar" her voice filled with joking accusations. She had enjoyed her varnish lessons greatly, she could not rush them and the spindle bug could only give her tutorials for three hours a day meaning that she had the rest of her time completely free to read walk and have some quality time with her friends.

It was on one of these walks when Rook introduced her to an old friend of his, and she discovered hers.

Reader had met Felix accidently when she had been fleeing a hammerhead guard looking for trouble, it was dark (one of her favorite times easier to sneak in) when she had come across one of her favorite hideaways. It was an abandoned mansion that had been in a fire at one point. It housed no books (she had checked) but it had many concealed entrances, the one she took that night was new to her. The walls of the mansion where soot blackened so she saw him coming, his bone armor glowing slightly in the gloom, but he was faster than she had anticipated. The fight was over in seconds with her pinned against the wall and him with a black eye. She was bound and brought to a hall she had never been before, large with its alls covered in hunting trophies. He had roughly pushed her down on to one of the piles of cloth and skins. She still fought of course, Reader never went down without a fight, she spat in his eye when he brought a torch near her face.

"Are you a spy?" he had asked. She had laughed than glared.

"Do you think that a spy would be foolish enough to fall for you?"

"A guardian?"

"What want to check so that you don't offend any one when i'm sold. _Slaver"_ she spat again. Glaring into her captor's eyes before noticing the look of bemusement.

"You're not getting sold. What makes you think that?" he did look genuinely confused

"Oh" her voice was dripping with sarcasm " you think that being pursued into a corridor previously unknown to me than getting attacked by someone in well kept camo and than getting bound and pretty much gagged before getting interrogated. Earth and sky! Do you honestly think that I might put these things together and _not_ get the word slaver put in my mind!?" the sarcasm and incredularity of her words bounced around the dark hall.

"I'm terribly sorry. I- I saw you coming and I thourght that this was well known ghost area. I thought that you were a spy or something. You know how it is nowadays, you can't trust anyone. Least of all somebody as well equipped as you.

Can you forgive me?" he looked at her pleadingly (not unlike Xanth had when he asked her to go to his reckoning)

"No. I cannot, although I might think about it if you untie me" she thought for a moment "and if you give me some food"

"Oh sky! I'm sorry!" he sprang to his feet and slit the ropes with a flick of a knife. "My names Felix Lodd by the way"

"Reader. About that food..?" she smiled and stood rubbing her wrists from the way he smiled back (nervously and apologetic) she could see that she had him under her thumb. While he busied himself with getting the food together she looked around the hall. The burnt walls covered in skins and the floor littered with supplies and what looked like sleeping areas.

"Your not the only ones who lives here are you?"

"Oh I mainly live on my own but some others stay here from time to time" he said smiling looking up from a small brazier on which what looked like stew was cooking. She knew rummaging was bad when what you what rummaging through belonged to someone else but hey he _had_ attacked her.

"Oh wow! You have freeglade winesap! It's been ages since I lasts saw any of this stuff!" she exclaimed as she pulled out a large green bottle.

"Proberly because the we nicked it all. Why do want some?" he smiled again. It was an offer she couldn't refuse.

Two hours later there laughter could be heard echoing through the empty corridors. They sat side-by-side four empty bottles scattered around there feet. Reader hadn't gotten so rip roaring drunk for years. You would have thought she would have learnt her lesson the first time. She and Felix had started talking about sensible things like the librarians. After the second bottle the quality of conversation considerably dropped now on the fifth, i'm sure that you can imagine what things there where on to now.

"so, whaddaya tink would win if you put a logworm in a fight again's an idunno banderbear?'' Felix slurred fuggy eyed

"err.. Ban'a bear cos 'ee could sneak up behin' it an'-an' oh what the word? It's like- like hugging but more violent. Wadizit?"

"wrestlin'? "

"Yeeh, I think that's it" she yawned.

"what about a bander bear verses a pack o'lemkins?" he got no answer she was fast asleep in the sleep of the truly drunk.

From then on they where friends. She oft visited him for conversation and sapwine and more often than not safety.

On the night she finished varnishing her skycraft she brought a bottle of her favorite vintage (sure she was a bit young but well she old in experienced) to his lodging house. He smiled at her when he opened the door and grinned when she showed him the bottle.

"The snickets finished. Fancy celebrating with me like we used to?"

"Reader my friend, you have made me an offer I can't refuse"

"_Show us the way to go home!, we're tired an' we wanna go to bed!" _they sang staggering along the cobbled streets there arms slung across each over's shoulders."_ we had a lot ta abou' a moment ago an its gone staight ta my HEAD!" _they finished with a loud shout.

"Ahh Felix. your me best frein' you know," she grinned but than sighed. "But ohh, I bet you never 'ad the trouble im goin' through now!"

"wassup? You seem fine ta me" he stared at her smiling blearily

"i'm in love! Thass wassup Felix me ol' frien'" she suddenly looked so melancholy before hollering "THASS RIGHT FREEGLADES! IM IN LOVE! I'M IN LOVE WITH XANTH FILITINE!"

OK OK as if it weren't obvious but you know some people are really _dense_. I am very sorry about this chapter being one extremely long rambling.

I don't want to get sued so ill tell you that I don't own that edge or any thing related to them. (Sulk)

Please read and review!


	6. the battle of the freeglades

The sunset was glorious that night. _The snicket_ was a large craft with a bench for two and a wide platform for a small amount of cargo and hooks for hanging things on underneath. The finished craft was a work of genius but Reader wasn't going to use the craft for lugging goods around. She flew high over the treetops carefully balancing the large book on her knee without using her hands. Her eyes scaned the pages of the large tome, a bulbous plant was resting against her foot. On autopilot, her hands carefully adjusted the ropes while she tried to find if the plant was poisonous or not. She let _the snicket_ drift on the wind. She was far from the Freeglades, she had been going further and further away on every trip she took, and was reluctant to return. Ever since she learnt to control the oversized craft she had been flying of into the distance. She both smiled and shuddered at the thought of her flying lessons, the memory of Xanths breath near her neck as he lent over to fix something fought with the terrifying memory of falling high over the forest the new scar on her ribs ached at the thought of it.

An arrow whizzed past her ear jerking her out of her reverie.

"What in the name off…?" she looked around. The wind had made her drift towards the Freeglades. The sound of screams was blown from her ears making her previously oblivious to the terrors the were making there way towards the settlements. The sun dropped from the horizon and twilight descended Reader followed suite.

From her lofty position she saw them. Huge hulking monsters spitting choking black fumes, the scent of burning wood and hot metal drifted over them like an invisible poison, the sound shot jolts of fear and geysers of anger through her body as they roared through the forest killing whatever was in there path. Silently she sped forwards, cutting into a stronger current till she over took the destructive machines, groaning as she saw the group of Lancers in their path, ready to meet the goblin army that trailed the monsters. She shuddered as with a command that she barely heard they charged. She swooped onwards heading toward the Glades, cursing going so far as she did so.

The full moon was high in the sky when she swooped down on new undertown; a massive evacuation was taking place as undertowners streamed from their homes carrying what they could grab on the way out. Reader paused thinking, she brought the craft round to her window at her boarding house and tethered it there. Hurrying she searched her rooms for what she would need. She Heaved her heavy healers box onto the cargo platform and grabbed her trunk, (it was already packed, she knew that she would be leaving soon) bounding into the flight seat she took off and headed to the metal smiths.

When she got there it was deserted, all the better for her. She shrugged off her jerkin and rummaged round the scrap metal box. On finding a roughly rectangular piece the right size she hastily punched a hole in each corner with the sharp end of a hammer and ripped of a shirtsleeve. She tore the sleeve into strips and threaded them through the holes in the metal tying it to her, making a makeshift breastplate. A small bucket was stuffed with the scrap leather to make a helmet and she chose an axe and a large lead mallet as her weapons. _Anyway_ she thought _if the worst happens i've always got my knife_. She put her jerkin back on over her "armor" for whatever protection it would give her and casually swinging the mallet with the axe in her belt she made for _the snicket_.

*************************************************

The great library burned. The goblins laughed and danced in the light of the flames, the bodies of the defenders littered the ground. The goblins were to busy celebrating there victory to notice a near invisible figure checking the body's, with each one still breathing they were dragged into the nearby woods.

Reader had set up a temporary hospital on _the snicket_. After she had figured the battle of the great library lost for good she had scarpered. Patching up the survivors had been her main priority and _the snicket _was weighed down with them. Her healers box was now dilapidated and she had run out of bandages, those who could not stand or run to safety had been laid in hammocks made from blankets under the craft but many had to be lain out in branches as the craft could only take so many.

As she flitted from body to body grief and disappointment at the lack of survivors welled up in her throat, once certain that no more lived she snuck into the library itself.

Smoke threatened to choke her lungs and blinded her eyes. She dropped onto all fours and crawled to the nearest trunk. She could only save the books and scrolls lower down, the flames had claimed the upper reaches of the branches. She was climbing a branch that was as close to the flames as possible stuffing scrolls down her clothing as the bag she had taken was full when the roof collapsed. Fire roared round her, hungrily gorging on barckscrolls, treatises and varnished wood. Reader panicked as burning timber rained down around her. She let go of the branch she was gripping and fell to the ground.

Fire, FIRE! It surrounded her, her bag and clothes were filled with highly flammable bark paper. The smoke wound its way around her neck clogging her throat. She looked around wildly for an escape but the burning trunks and timbers blocked her in. head spinning from thirst and heat she fumbled for her axe, as she hacked at the timer burning debris rained down clonking on her bucket helmet. With strength that she didn't no existed she pulled away a beam and scrambled out before they collapsed.

She picked her way hurriedly through the fiery mounds thanking Earth, Sky and any thing else that might hear that the walls had stayed upright hiding her from the view of the goblin armies. Now that she wasn't trapped she gathered her wits, deciding to take the nearest exit, she bounded over to it and peered out.

The goblins had left the library to its fate, making it so much easier to reach the tree the, _the snicket_ was tethered to. She dropped the bag and emptied her clothes. She unhooked the hammocks from under her craft and tied them to branches before heading to the lufwood tower.

Shouts and the odd ragged cheer greeted her as she flew over to the defenders. She dropped down next to Felix and drew her mallet.

"Hello freeglader," she said solemnly hoisting the heavy mallet into position.

"Reader! What in sky's name are you doing here? You can't fight!" Felix seemed shocked at her arrival but more so at her get up.

She did not meet his eyes when she spoke but looked at the goblin armies stretched before them. "Felix, you of all people know that I can fight. I may have many scars to remind me of the mistakes I have made but I have caused thrice as many as I own. I have a duty to defend the one place that I may call sanctuary, as I will do so. I will fight tooth and nail for the lives of the innocent, you my friend cannot stop me"

"Reader" Felix said in a quiet soothing voice "you have a _bucket _on you head" this made the corners of her mouth twitch and when she looked into his eyes they both burst out laughing.

The goblin armies surged forward; Reader raised her mallet and prepared to strike. At no less then ten strides away when a loud yodeling tore the air.

Banderbears! Reader's heart soared when before she did not even know it had sunk. Their powerful claws and terrible fangs ripped through the goblin army turning their mossy cotes blood red. Reader watch horrified at the slaughter these normally passive creatures reigned down upon the goblin army. Blood, limbs and entrails flew through the air as the forged their path.

But as Reader looked beyond the flailing bloody storm at the ranks upon ranks of goblins staring in terror at the banderbears she realized that there were to many to defeat. Instead of making her give up though this thought made her more defiant than ever. Reader would not go down without taking fifty odd with her!

Felix stepped forwards towards the approaching goblins sword at the ready

"Very well than" he shouted at the bobbing heads of the clan leaders "let us end this now!"

Reader aimed her best glare at them before seeing something truly _nasty_. As the goblin army shudder to a holt and Felix dropped to his knees in horrified amazement, She looked at the clan leaders properly, there heads were bobbing along on poles supported by five huge tufted goblins, Reader did not want to know where there body's were. At this thought she promptly threw up.

Disclaimer. I do not own anything (well that's a lie I own quite a few things just not the edgelands) If I did own Reader id be worried as to why a fictional character I'd made was real.

This story is not over yet. Please review


	7. no regrets eh?

Look I am very sorry this is a bit late I have had a lot on my plate right now. This chapter is more like one very short one and a longish one glued together I really hope it make sense.

Enjoy this rather late chapter.

Warning Xanth sounds incredibly angesty partway through (doesn't he always?) and towards the end it gets a little err.. adult

Reader was bored. She always was nowadays. The battle was done the trouble had stopped- along with all things interesting. She lay back in the stream sighing as her thoughts returned to leaving.

She had already been packed to leave when the excitement began and she was still living out of trunks. But she was now loath to leave, every time she had thought about leaving she would think of an excuse not to. Except that now there were none.

_In fact _she mused _there is a reason to leave. I don't want to be around when Xanth and Magda start officially dating_.

She rolled over so she was face down in the water at the thought. Bubbles floated through her tangled hair as she groaned. Yes it was time to leave

One off the things that people where always commenting on was that when she decided to do something she did it. So in keeping with her ways she crawled out the stream.

Xanth leaned out the window is eyes wandering over the moonlit glades. He liked it when the moon was full, it turned the entire world silver and silent. He let his mind wander as he gazed at the wavering reflection on the lake. It was only a faint rustle of spidersilk sails and the creak of a mast that gave Reader away, she was flying past Lakelanding towards the Deepwoods.

"hey Reader! Over here!" he called quietly, not wanting to wake anyone. He saw her head turn and what looked like a mixture of irritation and deep sadness flash on and off her face before a genuine smile broke over her features. She adjusted the ropes and rudder of her craft bringing it round to his window.

"What are you doing up this late Xanth? You have patrol in the morning" she hissed in a whisper.

" Hypocrite! Your up too!" he was rather annoyed at her. Did she realise that she was chiding him like she was his mother?

" I am not relied upon to be awake!" she hissed defiantly looking annoyed. But again her expression softened.

"Look Xanth, I'm leaving. I can't stay here any longer. I'm sorry." She began to turn the craft.

"Hold on! Where are you going? "

She paused to consider." I don't know yet. Where ever my instincts tell me"

"Oh one of those flights" he smiled at her, she didn't smile back but instead she looked even more morose. "Well if your not back in a week we'll come looking for you" he grinned at her hoping to tease a smile out of her but the grin slid of his face when he saw tears in her eyes.

"Xanth, I wont be coming back. I'm leaving the Freeglades. F-for good" her voice cracked as a lone tear slid down her face. In a voice that was almost nonexistent she said, "I'm so sorry" she started to manoeuvre the craft around again.

"Wait!" he yelped grabbing her arm "why? What's happened?"

"Nothing Xanth, nothing. I just have to go" she would not meet his eyes.

"_Why"_ he gripped her shoulders forcing her to look at him. When she looked into his eyes something inside her buckled.

"Because of _you_ Xanth. you and Magda. I just…. I just…." She could not think of a way to say it. So she took his face in her hands and kissed him. Not with passion or grace but with a wanton need. There teeth clashed as she pulled away blushing profusely. She grinned embarrassed will he stood shocked.

"I s-said I'm sorry, look I've got to leave before I embarrass myself like that again goodbye" she tried to shake Xanth's hands of her shoulders but it seemed he had regained his wits.

"You l-love me?" he seemed bemused.

"I suppose. Yes I—" Xanth cut off her words and train of thought as he pulled he into a second embrace, this time it was softer and their teeth did not crack.

"I wouldn't want you leaving with the regret that I never kissed you" she smiled at his words happy that he had accepted that she was going and did not try to persuade her otherwise.

" Yes" she agreed "no regrets" they both grinned as he let go of her and she righted herself on the seat.

"Hey can you do me one favour?" he called after her as she swooped away.

"What?"

"Don't tell Magda!" he yelled his voice filled with chagrin she laughed and flew off.

2 years later

"Felix! Fe-lix!" Xanth called as he wandered through the cavernous library searching for the elusive librarian.

"Felix? Where in sky name are you?!" he was getting irritated now. The under librarian said that he would be round here.

"Yes? What is it?" a distant call echoed through the building. Xanth hurried towards the source of the sound.

"It's me, Xanth!" he called up into the rafters. "Just came to tell you that another chest arrived!"

The chests of scrolls came at irregular times sometimes once a month others came together with only a few weeks apart the longest interval was two month but that chest contained a very special tome. The first one had arrived about two months after Reader had left. They where made of rough-hewn wood lined with waterproofing and where always filled with literature of some sort, every barkscroll, tome and book was signed The Chronicler.

This chest though was different from the others, it was only half filled for one even though it had been over a month since the last one had arrived and it had contained a note addressed to him. He had read it five times before it had properly registered in his mind properly.

Xanth.

You may have forgotten but it is two years since we parted. I hope you are well, I am (though I have a few more scars to my name than before) and _the snicket_ is in good shape I will be in the stream at sunset in two days if you want to see me again.

R. Chronicler

He had been shocked that she thought that he could have forgotten there parting- just thinking about it made his lips tingle, and he felt insulted that she thought that he might not want to see her. He was looking forwards to tomorrow.

"Yeah I heard about it, thanks anyway man" there was a muffled thump as Felix dropped to the ground. "So who do you think the Chronicler is anyway?" he asked nochantly a sly look on his face.

"You know that I do not know a thing about the Chronicler. I wish that you would stop asking" Xanth's face was completely emotionless. The first chest had come with a short sharp note from Reader explaining that she wanted her name to remain elusive in the records.

"You know," Felix, said oh-so-casually sliding Xanth a sideways look "I think that the Chronicler _may_ have _some_ connection with a certain _Reader_ that we were acquainted with before she disappeared in mysterious circumstances with you being the last person to talk to her, or really I should say—"

"Oh shut up Felix" Xanth cursed him in his head for wanting to walk home the long way that night that Reader left. He had seen it all, and the ribbing he got of him the next day! Urrgh it didn't bear thinking about of, Felix still enjoyed taking the Mickey out of him for it, even two years on. He sighed nostalgically and walked away.

"Hey! What's up? Can't take a little teasing? Come on give me a break! I've been locked up in this fusty Library all day! Come _on_! Felix called after him as he walked away.

"What is up with you nowadays? Felix asked catching up." If you ask me you still haven't gotten over Magda" He hit a nerve there Xanth spun around to face him.

"Well I didn't ask you did I? And until I do can you_ please_ shut up about it?" he hissed through clenched teeth, before turning on his heel and storming off.

He knew that Felix was right. He hadn't gotten over Magda choosing Rook instead off him. They never really started officially going out but he still felt spurned. He spent the rest of the day impatient and snappy.

He saw her long before she saw him. She was floating in her favourite stream her hair spread out in a fan with the current. He had gasped when he saw the long scars that started in her hairline and stretched down the side halving her left ear and carrying down into her shirt.

She must have become aware of the shadow blocking the sunlight because she opened her eyes and surfaced. She smiled genuinely pleased to see him.

"Xanth! I didn't think you would come!" she exclaimed as she clambered out onto the bank. She had changed a bit since he had last seen her. Instead of stocky she was wiry from living on what she could find, her hair had grown unchecked since she'd gone to it flowed down her back in a sopping wet waterfall. She had grown to in other ways than height, her wet shirt proved as much.

"What made you think that?" he was still confused about the way she thought that he wouldn't want to see her.

"I don't know. I just didn't think that you would" she smiled apologetically. Before hugging him with vigour.

"Argg! Reader you're soaked! Couldn't you have chosen a better place to lie down?"

She ignored his objection and hugged him harder before letting him go.

"Ohh you've changed so much! Look at all that hair!" she ruffled it for emphasis making him blush. "How long have we got before you must go?" she asked.

"What? I don't need to go anywhere. What made you think that?"

"Oh.. Its just I thought that Magda wouldn't like it is you spent that much time with me instead of her…." her words trailed away as she saw the expression that ha snuck onto his previously happy features." It didn't work out did it? You and her…"

"No it didn't" she hugged him again this time comforting instead of exuberating.

"I'm sorry Xanth," she muttered into his shoulder "I didn't mean to open up old wounds"

"It doesn't matter. It's all in the past… Reader you must be froze! You're not wearing a coat or anything!" he held her by he shoulders looking into her marble and storm eyes. She smiled wickedly.

"I'd have thought if I wasn't wearing anything Xanth you may have mentioned it before now" smiling even wider when he blushed. "Oh don't be so prude! Come on I got to get back to my rooms. Your right i _am _freezing."

She slung a small satchel over her shoulder and walked, squelching towards the entrance of the gardens. Xanth stared awed after her as the late evening sunlight glittered of her wet form.

When they arrived at the inn she was staying at Xanth smiled, it was the same set of rooms she had stayed in last time.

Reader told him to sit in the living room before disappearing into the bedroom and behind a screen; she left the door open so she could talk to him.

"So tell me what's happened since I was gone" her voice called through to him.

"Oh nothing much. I'm sure that you have far more to tell me about"

"Nonsense! I've been gone for two years. If nothing has happened I might as well leave again, I cant stand being in a boring place" though it seemed that she was joking her words on leaving scared him slightly. Xanth realised that he didn't want Reader to leave.

"Well… Rook's been made a sergeant. Oh and the new new great library has been finished but there are few barkscrolls to go in it yet. Your chestfuls are very appreciated"

"Thanks. It's nice that Rook has started going up through the ranks. I must go see him" the slapping sound of wet material hitting the floor made Xanth's imagination momentarily distract him.

"Err.. Yeah. You should. Look Reader. Err.. Are you back for good? It's just we've missed you" he had to ask the question had been on his minds since he had gotten he note.

"No I'm afraid not, Xanth" she said apologetically as she walked dry and dressed in travel worn cloths, through the door and sat down next to him on the couch.

"I came here for information, and to see you guys of course. My… occupation means that I cant stay in one place for a long time. I'm sorry"

"Don't be. You have done nothing but apologise since you came back. What information are you looking for?"

"Well. I'm looking for someone who knew a lot about Maris Verginix, you know the founder of the Freeglades. I'm trying to document peoples story's as well as events that have happened." Xanth raised his eyebrows at this he did not expect her to go in to history, most of her works so far where more like treatise scrolls than stories. He was even more surprised that he recognised the name Maris.

"Ask Tweezle, he knew Maris." He thought for a bit before saying in the ever so slightly bitter tined voice he used for talking about his old friends. "And Rook. He might know a bit from his time with her. She only died last summer"

"What!? I missed a chance to speak with her!" Reader was genuinely vexed. "Oh Gloem-bloody-glozer! I've been searching for somebody who might have known her for a whole year! Humph! All I had to do is come here. Ohhhh…" she seemed to be looking for the right word. "…piss"

"You weren't to know" he shrugged and looked into her eyes. "Now tell me what you've been up to since you left. Like how did you get that?" he ran his fingers gently down the four parallel scars on her face. She smiled at his touch.

"I had a…. misunderstanding with a banderbear. I accidently called him he-with-fat-bottom instead of he-with-great-strength in their language. Its so difficult to get right, I don't know how Rook does it." She smiled ruefully before glancing at Xanth's hand that he had forgotten to remove from her face. He quickly dropped it blushing furiously. "I have many names in banderbearian. My personal favourites are 'she-who-sticks-her-snout-where-it-doesn't-belong and she-who-should-learn-when-to-stop-asking-questions" Xanth laughed still kicking himself for his earlier mistake.

"I thought that you, off all people would have had a bit more regard for your own safety,"

"Yeah, I suppose," she sighed "i've missed you terribly since I left Xanth." She looked deep into his dark brown eyes, a thousand forgotten fantasies awaking in her mind.

"Then why didn't you come back? We all missed you" his hand sort hers, holding it softly.

"I had work to do and I-I thought that you wouldn't want me" her voice was soft and slightly worried as if she thought that he would be angry.

"Reader" he said. Placing his free hand on the side of her face. "I have wanted you back since the day you left, I would never not want you, cant you see that?"

He leaned slowly closer, her eyelids fluttered closed and there lips gently touched in an uncertain kiss. She wrapped her arms around him pulling him closer her hands sliding up and down his back. He leaned back bringing her with him till she was lying on top of him. She mumbled something that he couldn't hear as she started unbuttoning his shirt. He slowly slid his hands up hers as they twined their bodies together.

"You.. Mmf… shouldn't stay too… long here. People will.. talk" her voice had turned rather breathy in the short space of a few moments.

"Well we should give them something to talk about that shouldn't we?" He murmured back at her before pulling her back down on to him, she agreed with more than words.


	8. biographies

Epilogue

Cool! Last chapter! This must be the first story I have ever finished! It is a slightly cheesy ending I know but still…

" _"No regrets eh?" I whispered in his ear as he hugged he good-bye. He snickered remembering our last parting._

"_Will I be seeing you in another two years? Or have you realized that we don't hate you now?" he smiled at me. It was a smile that set my heart aflame._

"_Oh I'll be back before long, don't wait, river rise is hard to find I have heard" I was both sad yet exited at the same time._

"_Still hooked on finding Twig?" he had said._

"_Yes, there is a chance that I might get his story. I will not let this chance pass" I was uncertain that but I knew that it was a good decision. Xanth pulled me into a passionate embrace I responded with vigor._

"_Ohh stop it you'll make us all sick! Come on I wanna say goodbye!" Felix called with his usual bluntness. Xanth stepped away and gave Felix the floor._

"_Well this is goodbye for now." I hugged him. Making him embarrassed._

"_I've got some bottles of vintage stored away so that you will come back." He said gruffly._

"_Well how could I refuse?" I grinned, "See you Felix." Rook and Magda stepped up, those two are inseparatable_

"_ohhh Reader is there anything that would make you stay, do you really need to go to riverrise?" Magda, so sweet and persistent._

"_Rampaging gloamglozers couldn't keep me away," Xanth smiled beside me at my words. "Bye guys, come on I've got to go. Come on of my craft before I cry!" I made shooing motions at them as the scrambled of the cargo platform Xanth leapt on to ratbird and we set off. That night Xanth said goodbye properly he knew he could not leave the freeglades for the length I was going to, we did not know I was going to be gone a long as I was. ……._

_******************************_

………_I was elated on the day I returned. Five years I had traveled the deepwoods harvesting knowledge and stories and now I had come home. I Heard shouting followed be the rustle of sails as two very excited looking apprentices flew up beside me._

"_Are you Reader Chronicler?" the one on a snowbird 'craft asked._

"_Yes. Who's asking?" I stated_

"_Err me. Look i'm supposed to take you to the most high academe." This confused me what would the most high academe want with me? I asked the apprentice such. His answer surprised me._

"_Master Filitine said so he didn't say why"_

""_Filitine? As in _Xanth_ Filitine?" I asked incredulously _

"_Err yeah I think that's his name. Is'nt it?" he turned to his friend who nodded._

"_Lead the way then" I covered up my shock well. I had learnt much since I left._

_When we arrived at lake landing word had obviously spread because Xanth was already there waiting his expression both hopeful and impatient._

"_Xanth!" I called from my seat. "You're the most high academe! Sky thing have changed!" I swung myself from the front bench pausing only to scoop up the bundle of blankets next to me. He said nothing only hugging me fiercely. The bundle was squashed between us._

"_Careful Xanth. This is someone id like you to meet" a pair of bleary brown eyes and mussed brown hair emerged from the wooly cocoon. "Rufus meet your father Xanth." I looked at Xanth's face as he gazed in shock at the fiver-tear-old in my arms. "Xanth? Xanth?"_

"…_Y-yes?" he said drawing his eye reluctantly of our child. "Is he-?"_

"_Yes Xanth he is yours, here hold him while I get the snicket moored safely" he awkwardly gathered Rufus into his arms. I smiled as I heard him ask in his oh-so-sweet baby voice "are you my daddy?"_

"_Yes" I heard him say in a quiet, shocked voice "i'm your daddy" _"

Xanth looked over Readers shoulder as she wrote smiling as she told it how it was.

"Almost done?" he whispered in her ear.

"I'm finished for tonight hon." she wafted a spare sheet of barckscroll over the wet ink and closed the half finished Tome. "Two more years and i'll be at the present"

"Yes. How long will that take?"

"A week or so. Than ill be free to hand over the full time documenting to the apprentice"

"I wish I could hand over my job to someone else in two weeks" he sat down and rubbed his eyes.

" Don't be silly you love your job" she kissed him on the cheek.

"I know but-" he yawned, "It sure is tiring"

"And interesting. I'm going to write _your _life story next."

"What happened to handing all that over to an apprentice?"

"Its only part time work. Any way would you rather tell your life story too _Saminkstus_? "She said naming the one apprentice that Xanth really did not like. She wandered over to the window.

"Do you still think I shouldn't tell Rook, you know about Twig still being alive?"

Xanth followed standing behind her

"You know what he would do if he knew. He would go running off to riverirse and try to save him himself and would likely get himself stuck there in the meantime."

"I know. It's just I feel sorry for him all alone up there trapped for eternity"

"Nothing lasts for ever Reader," he wrapped his arms around her an followed her gaze out the window "surely you would know that? I am pleased that you didn't stay with him. So no regrets eh?" she turned in his arms to face him.

"Yes. No regrets"

Thank you, thank you, _thank you_ for reading this and staying with it to the end!

I appreciate all reviews good and bad so please send them.


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